The war against the rest of the continent was not that complicated for Liu Shu. There were indeed quite a few enemies, and since Liu Shu couldn't completely annihilate everyone, some information about her strength finally started to flow out and reach other powers.

Still, Liu Shu wasn't bothered about people knowing the baseline of her powers or strengths. If anything, receiving some information might push them away from investigating deeply about her true strength.

'Hm… Other than that, I finally managed to move the four <Soulseeds> I've summoned.' The giant trees couldn't really be left there; they were just too big. Moreover, they were good defensive structures deeply connected to her. "I've placed two along the Wall Forest and the last two on the eastern and northern shores from my city. This way, the shortest paths to attack my city have been blocked." Now, if someone wanted to besiege her while avoiding those four beings, they'd need to come from the south, traveling through the Snow Lands.

While Liu Shu was pondering about these things, she noticed the aura of corruption touching some of her advancing roots. "We've arrived."

Her gaze moved towards the edge of her domain, and she looked at the roots in front of her. "They are from a Level 54 Corrupted World Tree. Not my rival."

Without a single moment of hesitation, she continued advancing forward and clashed with the enemy roots. As if the other side had suddenly awakened, it fought harshly against the invasion and tried to resist.

Liu Shu's basic attributes before any buff had already reached 70,000. So, when a relatively ordinary World Tree attacked her, it was like a bunch of dry branches clashing against nourished ones.

The army marching nearby almost lost their footing when tremors spread from below the ground. Everyone was confused, questioning what was happening.

"Ma'am!"

The woman at the lead looked toward the person arriving from a distance. She was a tall, bearkin woman with a sturdy physique and wild beauty. Her demeanor after so many battles was that of a heroic general, deterring everyone around her. Just one look would push people to straighten their backs.

"Report."

"Yes! Lady Thalgryn, the tremors are caused by underground fighting. We've spotted mounds of earth appearing from those collisions, while the landscape in some locations has started distorting."

Thalgryn relaxed when she heard the report. The power behind the tremors was honestly too high, and it made her somewhat tense. "That kind of battle trace is usually the result of two World Trees clashing with each other. We can be sure that Lady Heavenly Willow has begun her offense against the Corrupted World Tree around 90 kilometers away from our current positions."

One advisor at the side agreed but added something. "Just in case, we should confirm with Lady Heavenly Willow."

After the war's results and Liu Shu's ability to summon her clones spread in the territory, Liu Shu's nickname had become the most respectful way of calling her. Many citizens already considered Liu Shu some kind of deity-like being comparable to the Celestial Lotus and other similar World Trees.

Thalgryn noticed that when the advisor spoke about Liu Shu, there was respect in his voice and attitude. Even the way he pronounced the three words seemed to be full of carefulness not to offend the being he was mentioning.

"Right, we should." Thalgryn naturally had no problems calling Liu Shu by her name. However, to keep Liu Shu's image pristine in everyone's mind, Thalgryn followed the others in her way of calling her. "Lady Heavenly Willow, is it your esteemed self who is fighting far ahead?"

Sadly for Thalgryn, Liu Shu didn't answer. Not because Liu Shu was ignoring her, but because she had decided not to pay attention to anyone who called her Lady Heavenly Willow. She completely shut down her hearing receptors for everyone who spoke of her like that.

Unaware of that truth, Thalgryn frowned for a moment, puzzled as to why the World Tree was not answering her words. 'It's not possible that she didn't hear me since we are tracing the path Liu Shu's roots went through. Is the battle a bit harder than expected, and therefore, she can't pay attention to other matters in the meantime?'

While Thalgryn pondered about it, she decided to keep silent and send the scouts to keep her informed.

Meanwhile, Liu Shu was advancing at an unhurried pace, her roots aggressively coiling and destroying the Corrupt World Tree's roots. After a few hours of battle, Liu Shu managed to trample through 90% of the territory, reaching the walls of the city around the Corrupted World Tree.

"Invader! Why are you attacking us!?"

Finally, after fighting for a few hours, Liu Shu heard the corrupted and somewhat desperate voice from the other being. When dealing with these beings, Liu Shu was patient in her tone and voice, a contrast with her attacking methods. "Hello, Corrupted World Tree. I've come to purify you. You've managed to hurt some of my weaker roots, so you probably can feel the purifying aura coming from my sap. If there is a will remaining within you of what you were before, stop resisting. When I reach your core, I'll absorb all your Corruption and reincarnate you."

Her tone was peaceful, spreading throughout the Corrupted World Tree's root net like a mountain spring. When she heard our World Tree's tender tone and voice, there was a surge of relief inside the Corrupted World Tree, as if all the tormenting voices suddenly stopped, leaving only the incomparably beautiful voice of the World Tree.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"You… You are talking nonsense! Die!"

Even when those feelings were prominent and seeped deeply inside, once corrupted, it would be impossible to maintain a healthy mentality unless the World Tree's will was incredibly sturdy.

"Relax, Big Sister." Liu Shu's voice was like a natural melody, soothing the soul and heart. "I am not here to hurt you. I want to help you enter a peaceful sleep."

A World Tree's powerful mind was able to detect Liu Shu's true voice easily, unlike normal creatures. Therefore, instead of sounding like a chorus of a thousand voices, it sounded clear and melodious like a lullaby hum.

The power behind Liu Shu's voice came from some of her skills, but beyond that, her purifying nature.

Sadly, the Corrupted World Tree's core was twisted, so a mix of both relief and anxiety filled her heart. This agonizing feeling of wanting to lie back, but the heart pounding too fast to feel relaxed, forced the World Tree to lash out. "Away! Back off! I don't want this! I don't want you coming closer! LEAVE!"

Corrupted Aether Mana and Anima Energy flowed to the sky from the Third Energy Cycle Corrupted World Tree. Liu Shu sighed softly, her gaze full of both tenderness and compassion.

"<Curse Cleansing Aurora>."

The Level 2 Curse Cleansing Aurora covered the sky several kilometers across. Everyone around stopped what they were doing and looked up at the multicolored lights covering the sky. From them, light fell like gentle rain, unlike other times.

Until now, Liu Shu had used the skill aggressively, attacking and intending to cause harm. Therefore, the effects were much more violent, like summoning pillars of light or strong shockwaves.

This time, it was different.

The Corrupted World Tree's core seemed to feel a terrifying premonition of what was about to happen and lashed out against Liu Shu, her roots attacking as if they wanted to explode together with the other party.

This time, Liu Shu didn't counterattack. Instead, she received all attacks while gently surrounding and coiling the enemy's roots underground. "Shh…" Liu Shu's gentle voice reached the terrified Corrupted World Tree. "I am here. Don't worry anymore. There is no need to lash out."

"Let me go! Let me go! I WILL KILL YOU! AHH!"

The strength of a Third Energy Cycle was nothing to scoff at, and the ground constantly trembled under the barrage of attacks from the enemy. However, Liu Shu ignored everything and metaphorically opened her arms and hugged the other party.

"Aurelise, can you send a gentle stream of healing energies into my root net? Not much, though."

Aurelius was gently swaying with the soft wind when she heard Liu Shu's voice. She quickly reacted, her aura surging as healing energies flowed through her roots into Liu Shu's body. "Here you go, Liu Shu!"

Our World Tree couldn't help but laugh gently. "You won't ask why I am asking you for this?"

"Well…" Aurelise spoke with a soft tone. "I won't. Liu Shu, your aura now feels so… gentle and tender that I don't want to interrupt it. You take my healing energy and continue doing what you are doing; it is so comfortable around you now that I just want to go to sleep~."

While Liu Shu was curious about Aurelise's words, she didn't dwell on them much. The most important thing was purifying the Corrupted World Tree without hurting it too much. So, she guided the healing energies and refocused her primary consciousness on the battlefield.

There, the Corrupted World Tree was starting to crack as it overexerted its strength to try to deal with Liu Shu. Sadly for it, our World Tree's roots were ridiculously tough. 70,000 <Physique>, and the buffs after that pushed her stats easily over 100,000. Then, her 85 percent natural <Physical Resistance> made it look as if Liu Shu's roots were made of an indestructible material.

The Corrupted Tree struggled with all her might, throwing curses and other types of physical attacks at the roots expanding in her territory. 'Why won't she break!? Break! Break! Break!'

But Liu Shu remained unbothered, her roots taking more and more terrain.

Only 4 hours later, Liu Shu had enveloped the grand majority of the enemy World Tree's terrain while her <Curse Cleansing Aurora> constantly rained on the territory.

Every single person who was not related to Corrupted Arts felt as if the rain was cleansing their souls of all filth. Meanwhile, those with cursed arts, auras, titles, or anything similar felt as if the rain was acid rain. Moreover, to their dismay, Liu Shu's <Curse Cleansing Aurora> bypassed their house's defenses entirely, so regardless of where they were, they'd suffer from the attack.

"Ah… What…? Where…? How?"

Liu Shu heard a clear and elegant voice, completely different from the previous scratchy and hoarse one. "Do you feel better?"

Looking at the World Tree's body, Liu Shu could detect how the other party's body had started giving up under its own weight. The dried wood was slowly splintering, and it wouldn't be longer than a few minutes before she collapsed just by herself.

"Who are you?" The last moments of clear conscience from a once gentle and caring World Tree reached out to Liu Shu for answers. Our World Tree naturally didn't shy away from speaking to her.

"I am a World Tree. I've come here to cleanse you and purify you so that you can be reborn without any impurities."

"World Tree?" The voice sounded confused and surprised. "You are… helping me?"

"Yes." Liu Shu answered patiently. "Now, relax. I promise that when you close your eyes, you will be able to feel peace and calmness like when you bathe your roots in a clear river."

"Really?" The voice sounded surprised but pleased. "Then… Thank you. I'll relax now."

Liu Shu felt the last traces of resistance disappearing, and her purifying energies bloomed in the Corrupted World Tree.

The energy surged alongside the collapsing root net and filled the World Tree's enormous body one last time.

Everyone in the city looked as the dull and half-dead World Tree suddenly exploded with colors. The bare branches bloomed with countless leaves and flowers, and the body of the World Tree showed signs of revitalization.

The beauty of the spectacle left everyone breathless.

Sadly, this was one last show of what was once a gorgeous being, a miracle of nature.

A cracking sound reached everyone as the tall World Tree began leaning sideways. The direction it leaned to was guided by Liu Shu, and it was the Nexus's headquarters in this city.

"Rest and, with that, give one last strike back to those who tainted your beautiful existence."

In the Golden Sap City, Liu Shu was glowing with gorgeous lights that made those looking feel like tearing up.

A final thought reached Liu Shu before her consciousness was put to a much-deserved rest.

"Thank you… I feel much better now."

Liu Shu answered gently. "Rest well."

And then, the World Tree's body fell and shook the land, killing thousands of those who tainted her with the impact while Liu Shu protected the rest with her roots.

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